FANNY. Yes. I think we did the old man credit. [_With a laugh_.] John Bull’s daughters, they called us in Paris. _Bennet appears in doorway_. BENNET [_announces_]. “Our Empire.” _Headed by_ “_England_,” _the twelve girls_, _laughing_, _crowding_, _jostling one another_, _talking all together_, _swoop in_. ENGLAND [_a lady with a decided Cockney accent_]. Oh, my dear, talk about an afternoon! We ’ave ’ad a treat getting ’ere. _Fanny kisses her_. SCOTLAND [_they also kiss_]. Your boss told us you’d gone out. FANNY. It was a slight—misunderstanding. Bennet, take away these things, please. And let me have half a dozen bottles of champagne. STRAITS SETTLEMENTS [_a small girl at the back of the crowd—with a shrill voice_]. Hooray! BENNET [_he is controlling himself with the supremest difficulty_. _Within he is a furnace_]. I’m afraid I have mislaid the key of the cellar. FANNY [_she looks at him_]. You will please find it—quickly. [_Bennet_, _again from habit_, _yields_. _But his control almost fails him_. _He takes up the tray of unneeded tea-things from the table_.] I shall want some more of all these [_cakes_, _fruit_, _sandwiches_, _etc._]. And some people to wait. Tell Jane she must come and help. _Bennet goes out_. _During this passage of arms between mistress and man a momentary lull has taken place in the hubbub_. _As he goes out_, _it begins to grow again_. ENGLAND. ’E does tease yer, don’t ’e? Wanted us to ’ave tea in the kitchen. FANNY. Yes. These old family servants— AFRICA [_she prides herself on being_ “_quite the lady_”]. Don’t talk about ’em, dear. We had just such another. [_She turns to a girl near her_.] Oh, they’ll run the whole show for you if you let ’em. ENGLAND. It was Judy’s idea, our giving you this little treat. Don’t you blime me for it. WALES [_a small_, _sprightly girl with a childish_, _laughing voice_]. Well, we were all together with nothing better to do. They’d called a rehearsal and then found they didn’t want us—silly fools. I told ’em you’d just be tickled to death. FANNY [_laughing—kisses her_]. So I am. It was a brilliant idea. [_By this time she has kissed or shaken hands with the whole dozen_.] I can’t introduce you all singly; it would take too long. [_She makes a wholesale affair of it_.] My aunts, the Misses Wetherell—Dr. Freemantle. _The Misses Wetherell_, _suggesting two mice being introduced to a party of friendly kittens_, _standing_, _clinging to one another_, _murmur something inaudible_. DR. FREEMANTLE [_who is with them to comfort them—he has got rid of the time-table_, _discreetly—smiles_]. Delighted. ENGLAND. Charmed. [_The others join in_, _turning it into a chorus_. _To Fanny_] Glad we didn’t strike one of your busy days. I say, you’re not as dressy as you used to be. ’Ow are they doing you?—all right? FANNY. Yes. Oh, yes.